Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc and South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt have been named the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month, respectively, after producing a string of standout performances that set them apart from a strong field of contenders.
While Starc overcame competition from New Zealand quick Jacob Duffy and West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves to claim the award, Wolvaardt edged past teammate Sune Luus and India opener Shafali Verma to secure her second ICC Player of the Month award in three months.
Starc earned the men’s honour following a dominant Ashes campaign at home, where he was also adjudged Player-of-the-Series in Australia’s emphatic 4-1 triumph. Across December, the left-arm pacer claimed 16 wickets at an average of 21.25, while also contributing 139 runs in three Tests.
His most memorable display came in the second Test in Brisbane, where he delivered a Player of the Match performance with eight wickets and a crucial 77 with the bat. Starc also chipped in with a valuable 54 in the series-clinching Test in Adelaide.
“It’s an honour to be named the ICC Player of the Month, and even more special that it came on the back of such a successful home Ashes. To have played a part in winning such an iconic series in front of our home crowd is something we will all relish for a long time,” Starc said.
“As a team we’ve had some outstanding performances in the last few years. The focus now is on building that momentum towards a place in next year’s ICC World Test Championship Final.
On the women’s side, Wolvaardt was recognised for a prolific run-scoring spree during Ireland’s tour of South Africa. The opener amassed 255 runs at a strike rate of 111.84 in three ODIs and followed it up with 137 runs in two T20Is at a blistering strike rate of 190.27, thriving at the top of the order across both formats and registering three centuries in the process.
She was named Player of the Series in the ODI leg after back-to-back 124 and an unbeaten 100 in the final two matches, having earlier begun the tour with an unbeaten 115 in the opening T20I.
“I’m delighted to be named the ICC Player of the Month once again. To win it two times in three months is very special and something I’ll cherish for a long time. I loved batting throughout Ireland’s tour of South Africa, and it was hugely rewarding to contribute with runs across both the ODI and T20I formats,” Wolvaardt said.
“With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, my focus is firmly on carrying this momentum forward. We’ve shown real progress in recent ICC events, and I’m excited about the summer ahead in England and Wales. I hope to continue playing my part and help take the team all the way.”